K-Pop has taken the world by storm, and its influence can be seen in music charts across the globe. But did you know some of your favorite K-Pop songs were written for other artists? In this section, we'll take a look at 10 K-Pop songs that were written for other artists and explore how they became hits in their own right. From ballads to dance tracks, these songs showcase the versatility of K-Pop songwriters and their ability to create music that resonates with audiences beyond just one artist or group. So sit back, relax, and get ready to discover some surprising behind-the-scenes stories about your favorite K-Pop hits.
1. EXO – Artificial Love
The popular EXO song Artificial Love was originally meant for NCT. The producers of the song revealed the behind- the- scene of the song and the story behind this song in an interview, that also featured the composers of the music. So next time you listen to "Artificial Love," remember that it was originally written with another group in mind. It's a testament to the talent and flexibility of both EXO and NCT, showcasing their ability to bring life to any song they touch.
2. Lee Hi – Scarecrow
Lee Hi's hit song "Scarecrow," was initially intended for Park Bom. This fascinating trend in the K-Pop industry showcases the collaborative nature of songwriting, as well as the ability of artists to bring a unique charm to a piece of music. This song was initially recorded by 2NE1’s Park Bom when she was debuting solo. She not only recorded the song but also shot a music video. But when she joined 2NE1, the song went to Lee Hi, and she performed this song with grace.
3. I.O.I – Very Very Very
This song was written by JYP and was meant for TWICE, but then it later went to I.O.I. as it matched the concept of I.O.I. they recorded this song for their second album, “Miss Me.” I.O.I(Ideal of Idol) was a South Korean girl group. They disbanded in January 2017. The group had 11 members selected from a pool of 101 trainees from a show.
4. BIGBANG – Lies
Lies was the first major hit of BIGBANG. The iconic song was originally meant for G-Dragon but ended up with his band BIGBANG. Initially, the song was written for G- Dragon’s solo debut but after listening to the song, the owner of YG Entertainment changed his mind and passed this song to the band.
5. Sunmi – Siren
Sunmi’s hit song Siren was initially intended for the girl group Wonder Girls. According to Sunmi, when she was working on the Wonder Girls’ album “Why So Lonely” with their producer, she came across this song Siren. The song was shortlisted for the album but eventually did not make it to the album. So, Sunmi took the piece for herself, did some work on it, and released it. The song becomes a hit.
6. Secret – Magic
The song “Magic” is a hit song by Secret. But the song was initially offered to Seo In-Young, but she rejected the song. This song has sold around 2 million records, and put Secret on the radar of the audience and the industry. This song was a hit for Secret and worked in their favor, and for this, they should probably thank Seo In-Young. We can’t deny that Secret has also put in their hard work and showed their talent to the world.
7. ZE:A – Phoenix
This song of ZE:A, which they used for their comeback in 2012. They had the Japanese and Korean versions of “Phoenix.” But the song was originally meant for the boy band SHINee. When the composer of this song, Albi released the English demo song of the song, and it can be noted that the opening line was “SHINee, we are back” while the song that we listen to today starts with “ZE:A, we are back.” SHINee had passed on this song.
8. Red Velvet – Red Flavor
Red Velvet released their song Red Flavour in 2017, and it was a huge hit that summer. The producers of the song initially chose the UK girl group Little Mix for this song but later gave it to Red Velvet. The song was bought by SM Entertainment, the agency which manages Red Velvet.
9. Jonghyun – Cocktail
The Cocktail is a great high-key song. This song was written by Jonghyun with the song “Already.” He wrote this song for his fellow bandmate Taemin for his solo album in 2016, but he rejected it. So, after this rejection, Jonghyun added this song to his solo debut album, the B- Side, as he had put a lot of effort into this song. Later in an interview, Taemin revealed that he rejected this song because he thought that he could never do justice to this song as Jonghyun could do. He could never perform that song as Jonghyun did perform live.
10. Justin Bieber – Let Me Love You
Let Me Love You, released in 2016, was sung by Justin Bieber, a Canadian singer. But the song was originally intended for CL. CL is a South Korean singer and rapper. The American songwriter Brian Lee who wrote this song, met CL in 2015 and recorded a demo of this song. He has written songs for both Justin Bieber and CL before. But due to some reason, this collaboration between CL and Brian Lee could not pan out and, Justin Bieber recorded this song in 2016. However, Lee posted the demo of the song, which showed the powerful vocal of CL.
